HDH’s Vitality Rankings determines the health of high streets and shopping centres by analysing a number of factors, including vacancy rates, residents’ movement and suitability to local consumer demand. The rankings reveal the top 50 retail centres, compiled from a list of 1,000 by the strategic retail property consultancy.
Many of the UK’s larger retail centres, including large towns, city centres and regional shopping malls, have seen the health of traditional retail centres bounce back over the past eighteen months, following the impact of the pandemic in 2020.
Kingston-Upon-Thames, York and Chester have all made small, yet positive, movements up the top 20, with Bath, Oxford and Exeter also climbing the rankings in the top 50.
The ranking’s top 20 is still dominated by smaller commuter towns that continue to benefit from a shift in shopping habits to local high streets, and many families relocating from larger cities due to the impact of remote working.